Pipe Questions

[SeaGarr]

The story:
So... a couple three years ago, I bought a pipe and some tobacco, and started on a journey that was quickly quashed as my wife laughed me out of continuing (she finds pipe smoking very uh, pompous. Something that should be reserved for the very rich, or the very old. It's whatever lol). Yeah, yeah, I have grown a pair since then, and am THINKING of starting again.

I love my cigars and like so many here, have more than I'll ever be able to smoke in a reasonable amount of time. But pipe smoking has some serious advantages. The biggest being I can load a bowl with an eye to time - which is a huge advantage when smoking in the winter. But aside from that, though a pain to learn at first, the routine of loading a bowl was wicked cool lol.

Hence, I believe I'll figure out where I put my pipe, and buy some tins with an eye to starting slowly. But moving forward. I have a couple of questions that I am really hoping you guys can help me out with as I plan this possible journey.

Questions:
1. How do you store a tin of pipe tobacco? Can I/should I throw it into my humi?

2. What's up with this letting your pipe rest for a "couple" of days? Can I smoke two bowls in the same pipe in one day? If I can smoke two bowls in a day in the same pipe - that would lead me to believe I would only need three pipes total - yes? Smoke pipe A today, pipe B tomorow, Pipe C the day thereafter, and then back to A?

3. Though I am going to start slowly and use my old pipe to get back at it, I would kind of like to keep an eye out for a collection of three identical pipes if my assumptions as to question 2 is correct.
I would like to get three "cheapish" identical nose-warmers < $50 (I like consistency - weird like that). Any ideas? Is it doable?

Thanks in advance for all your help gents. I really appreciate it!

 

[Sirspanksalot]

The story:
So... a couple three years ago, I bought a pipe and some tobacco, and started on a journey that was quickly quashed as my wife laughed me out of continuing (she finds pipe smoking very uh, pompous. Something that should be reserved for the very rich, or the very old. It's whatever lol). Yeah, yeah, I have grown a pair since then, and am THINKING of starting again.

I love my cigars and like so many here, have more than I'll ever be able to smoke in a reasonable amount of time. But pipe smoking has some serious advantages. The biggest being I can load a bowl with an eye to time - which is a huge advantage when smoking in the winter. But aside from that, though a pain to learn at first, the routine of loading a bowl was wicked cool lol.

Hence, I believe I'll figure out where I put my pipe, and buy some tins with an eye to starting slowly. But moving forward. I have a couple of questions that I am really hoping you guys can help me out with as I plan this possible journey.

Questions:
1. How do you store a tin of pipe tobacco? Can I/should I throw it into my humi?

2. What's up with this letting your pipe rest for a "couple" of days? Can I smoke two bowls in the same pipe in one day? If I can smoke two bowls in a day in the same pipe - that would lead me to believe I would only need three pipes total - yes? Smoke pipe A today, pipe B tomorow, Pipe C the day thereafter, and then back to A?

3. Though I am going to start slowly and use my old pipe to get back at it, I would kind of like to keep an eye out for a collection of three identical pipes if my assumptions as to question 2 is correct.
I would like to get three "cheapish" identical nose-warmers < $50 (I like consistency - weird like that). Any ideas? Is it doable?

Thanks in advance for all your help gents. I really appreciate it!

1. If the tin is open I throw it in the tupperware with all my other open stuff. If it's a bigger tin I dump out the contents into a mason jar, or with any samples being more than 3 ish ounces. I hope by humi you didn't mean you cigar humidor.

2. With cobs I'd think it's okay to smoke multiple bowls in a day. They're resilient little things, and cheap enough to just replace. The thing with smoking multiple bowls in a day is you're burning it out. I'm sure some of the more experienced brothers will elaborate on that.

3. If you want 3 of the same pipes I'd suggest trying first with some dr grabow which will be like >30 rather than 50.

 

[Trackmyer]

Let's see if I can answer these in order without jackin' it all up.

1) tins opened to be smoked in less than a couple weeks can stay in the tin. Tins opened and stored any longer go into a canning jar and lid. They do not need to go in a humi. In a cool dark place is good enough. No tabacco, pipe or cigar, likes light so kept in the dark is always better than out in the open if jarred.

2) rotation of pipes is to let the one smoked dry out completely before smoking again. If you smoke in a wet pipe, you can end up with foul taste to any bowls smoked thru it. To add into this mix, keep any aro. Pipes seperate from english tobacco pipes. They don't mix well.

3) not a nose warmer pipe guy. But if your just starting Id suggest get some Missouri Meerschaum cobs. They are cheap, and smoke real well.

 

[SeaGarr]

You guys are the best. Thanks.

 

[smokinbrew]

1. never store open baccy in with your cigars. tobacco only needs 15-18% humidity. any more than that and you have over saturated baccy which leads to the bitterness of your smoke. i store my pipe tobacco in little mason jars, keeps the humidity in and keeps it fresh. you can also leave it in the tis that you purchase it in but if you purchase a pouch i would put it into a mason jar.

*edit* proper MBW is 12-14%, 15-18 is for manufacturing and shipping. *edit*

2. the rule of thumb is to let your pipe rest 24 hours per bowl you smoke in it. you can smoke multiple bowls in a pipe but what happens due to the humidity in the tobacco and your saliva going into the mouth piece you get a bitter taste and it compounds there more you smoke. hence the resting/drying time. also when you smoke multiple bowls your run the risk of over heating your pipe and causing issues with the shank or possibly the bowl cracking.

3. missouri meershaum and dr grabow are what i would recommend. also you can find good deals on pipes at antique stores, local B&Ms/pipe shops, or fleabay.

 

[Cigary43]

Good answers here....it's all about information that we've gleaned from our own past experience and reading what others do. It's easy to make mistakes if you're not going to listen and read what experienced "pipers" are saying and when I started smoking pipes in the mid 70's there were no Forums...it was trial and error with a few bits of info from the sales person who pretty much told me what he does...not what was right. Having multiple pipes gives you a chance to smoke all day if you want as using the same pipe over and over will cause problems with taste...tongue bite...etc. If you want to use the same pipe let it cool down..this could be several hours depending on the size of the bowl. Be careful what you use to light your tobacco as a soft flame or matches is best otherwise you risk burning the edges of your bowl or 'cooking' the inside of it with a torch. You want to build up a "caking" in the bowl...it's like insulation to help keep the bowl from becoming too hot. As far as how to pack your bowl....I've visited this link several times and it gives good info as far as "How To" about things like your asking. Enjoy your pipe and don't let your wife tease you too much...it's not a pompous activity at all. http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/10/14/a-pipe-smoking-primer/

 

[SeaGarr]

Good answers here....it's all about information that we've gleaned from our own past experience and reading what others do. It's easy to make mistakes if you're not going to listen and read what experienced "pipers" are saying and when I started smoking pipes in the mid 70's there were no Forums...it was trial and error with a few bits of info from the sales person who pretty much told me what he does...not what was right. Having multiple pipes gives you a chance to smoke all day if you want as using the same pipe over and over will cause problems with taste...tongue bite...etc. If you want to use the same pipe let it cool down..this could be several hours depending on the size of the bowl. Be careful what you use to light your tobacco as a soft flame or matches is best otherwise you risk burning the edges of your bowl or 'cooking' the inside of it with a torch. You want to build up a "caking" in the bowl...it's like insulation to help keep the bowl from becoming too hot. As far as how to pack your bowl....I've visited this link several times and it gives good info as far as "How To" about things like your asking. Enjoy your pipe and don't let your wife tease you too much...it's not a pompous activity at all. http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/10/14/a-pipe-smoking-primer/

Seriously brother - that you posted a link to artofmanliness.com makes me think you are alright lol !! And thanks for the feedback - for everyones feedback so far. For real.

With respect to loading a bowl - I feel rather good about that.
When I got the pipe a while back, a friend of mine showed me a "trick" after I struggled and struggled to get my bowl to burn. Did I say struggle?

I packed it three times. The first pinch was loseish, the next was tighter, and the last even tighter. The "trick" was, he had me place my thumb in the bowl on top of the tobacco and spin the pipe - in essence, intertwining the tobacco. It worked like a charm! I was getting really good burns after that. It really made me feel great getting that part of it down.

Anyway... Thanks everyone for the storage info. @Sirspanksalot - I actually did think I would throw my tins into my humi lol.

I recall the tobacco I got at Walgreens seemed really moist. I just kind of thought it would be uh, 70RH too. YIKES lol!! So thanks. It's not as "intuitive" to this noob as you might think lol!!

Oh and thanks for making the distinction that I shouldn't mix aromatic with non in the same bowl. Never thought of that either.

 

[JustTroItIn]

I recall the tobacco I got at Walgreens seemed really moist.

Most OTC baccy is treated with Propylene Glycol (PG) so it stays moist for a long time.

 

[johnnyflake]

This is the skinny of all you asked, of course, you need to decide what works for you.
Questions:
1. How do you store a tin of pipe tobacco? Can I/should I throw it into my humi?
Make sure it's closed properly and just leave it anywhere that's convenient for you grab it. No humi or special care is needed!
The exception being, if your not going to smoke that baccy again for an extended period of time. Then in the humi or sealed in a small sandwich ziplock bag will work.
2. What's up with this letting your pipe rest for a "couple" of days? Can I smoke two bowls in the same pipe in one day? If I can smoke two bowls in a day in the same pipe - that would lead me to believe I would only need three pipes total - yes? Smoke pipe A today, pipe B tomorow, Pipe C the day thereafter, and then back to A?

For a briar pipe, you can smoke as many as 6 to 10 bowls in the same day before you let it rest. It is suggested, although not necessary, that you allow about 30 minutes between bowls. After that day, let it rest for a minimum of 24 hours, longer is better, up to 72 hours. The advent of the seven day pipe sets, which you rarely see now days, was because of the longer period of rest needed when multiple bowls are smoked within one day.

A Meerschaum Pipe can be smoked over and over, as long as you want, but it is strongly suggested that you allow the pipe to rest for at least 30 minutes between bowls. That rest is necessary for the Meerschaum to harden up again, as it softens a bit when being smoked.

A Corn Cob, my personal favorite, can be smoked multiple times a day, but it should be allowed to rest about an hour between bowls. Corn Cobs are so inexpensive that it is easy to have a half dozen or more just sitting around waiting to be smoked.

3. Though I am going to start slowly and use my old pipe to get back at it, I would kind of like to keep an eye out for a collection of three identical pipes if my assumptions as to question 2 is correct.
I would like to get three "cheapish" identical nose-warmers < $50 (I like consistency - weird like that). Any ideas? Is it doable?

There are a lot of cheap briar pipes out there, decent and at less that $50 each. Personally, I suggest you by 3 Country Gentleman or Diplomat Meerschaum Corn Cobs, all 3 or under $50. You can also consider a good Meerschaum in the $60 / $70 range which will only need 30 minutes or so of rest between bowls.

 

[SeaGarr]

Wow - you pipe guys are a great bunch. Thanks for all the on point feedback without telling me to use the search function - it's is really helping me form a gameplan.

Great info @johnnyflake - thank you - right on point.


So a quick update. With all the info you guys have supplied, I am super stoked about getting back into pipes in spite of the wifes sideways looks lol. I don't know why, but I just don't see myself doing both cigars and pipes. I know many do, but I am envisioning transferring from cigar to pipe with the occasional stick now and again.

I figure with all the cigars I have, I'll smoke those this summer using the pipe I have to test tobacco's here and there. If I continue to enjoy my pipe as much as I did before, I'll stop buying sticks and begin buying more tins and pipes transferring to a pipe by winter. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks agian!!

 

[JustTroItIn]

I don't know why, but I just don't see myself doing both cigars and pipes. I know many do, but I am envisioning transferring from cigar to pipe with the occasional stick now and again.

You are not alone. I started with cigars and transitioned to the pipe. I now smoke my pipe daily and am lucky to have a weekly cigar. The cigar smoking will pick up a bit when it gets warm again.

@johnnyflake, excellent answers to all of his questions!

 

[hopzilla]

1. never store open baccy in with your cigars. tobacco only needs 15-18% humidity. any more than that and you have over saturated baccy which leads to the bitterness of your smoke. i store my pipe tobacco in little mason jars, keeps the humidity in and keeps it fresh. you can also leave it in the tis that you purchase it in but if you purchase a pouch i would put it into a mason jar.

I thought it was that pipe tobacco *is* 15-18% moisture, not that it only needs 15-18% humidity. I am far from an expert, though.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

I thought it was that pipe tobacco *is* 15-18% moisture, not that it only needs 15-18% humidity. I am far from an expert, though.

Yes this is how I understand it, here's an article from pipes magazine that explains it better, pease states that approximately 12-14% mbw(moisture by weight) roughly is equivalent to about 60% rh which by his regard is a good range to smoke most blends

Below 12% (8-10) and its fragile and brittle

Is typically packed at 15-18 which is a good level for manufacturing and aging

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/dust-in-the-wind-a-primer-on-tobacco-moisture/

All a moot point if baccy is placed in a well sealed glass jar, I personally keep a boveda in with my baggied samples as I've had a few that dried out over time from repetive opening and closing of my sample jars

The other articles from this series are informative and well written by the master..... Greg pease

 

[Cigary43]

Seriously brother - that you posted a link to artofmanliness.com makes me think you are alright lol !! And thanks for the feedback - for everyones feedback so far. For real.

With respect to loading a bowl - I feel rather good about that.
When I gave the pipe a go a while back, a friend of mine showed me a "trick" after I struggled and struggled to get my bowl to burn. Did I say struggle?

I packed it three times. The first pinch was loseish, the next was tighter, and the last even tighter. The "trick" was, he had me place my thumb in the bowl on top of the tobacco and spin the pipe - in essence, intertwining the tobacco. It worked like a charm! I was getting really good burns after that. It really made me feel great getting that part of it down.

I read a lot about our hobbies because I'm always getting great ideas to implement them into my routine....your post as to how one packs their bowls like you did above is exactly how I do it. I've tried a lot of different ways and for me this is the best way to do it and still get a great experience. We obviously read the same type of things because when I actually twisted the tobacco...I use my thumb and forefinger or as you said...you can spin the pipe. Intertwining the strands tends to make a better smoke as the burn is better and transfers from one strand into its counterpart.

 

[SeaGarr]

I read a lot about our hobbies because I'm always getting great ideas to implement them into my routine....your post as to how one packs their bowls like you did above is exactly how I do it. I've tried a lot of different ways and for me this is the best way to do it and still get a great experience. We obviously read the same type of things because when I actually twisted the tobacco...I use my thumb and forefinger or as you said...you can spin the pipe. Intertwining the strands tends to make a better smoke as the burn is better and transfers from one strand into its counterpart.

You are not alone. I started with cigars and transitioned to the pipe. I now smoke my pipe daily and am lucky to have a weekly cigar. The cigar smoking will pick up a bit when it gets warm again.

@johnnyflake, excellent answers to all of his questions!

Nice!! It's nice to be validated on both fronts.

@Cigary43 - it made so much sense to me that it stuck in my mind. Made me wonder why tampers weren't "textured" underneath so I could just use that instead.

A Meerschaum Pipe can be smoked over and over, as long as you want, but it is strongly suggested that you allow the pipe to rest for at least 30 minutes between bowls. That rest is necessary for the Meerschaum to harden up again, as it softens a bit when being smoked.

Ok - I am not going to lie. I know that if I really get into smoking a pipe, I'll probably become a pipe whore. But right now... I am thinking of dropping some coin and getting one of these Meerschaum's. I love the idea of being able to use just the one pipe! So much so, I am actually scoping out some right now. This is a slippery slope lol!!

 

[smokinbrew]

I thought it was that pipe tobacco *is* 15-18% moisture, not that it only needs 15-18% humidity. I am far from an expert, though.

i knew it was close but not 100% I'm still a new piper myself, but was remembering what i read. was off a little. glad other brothers could correct my statement for the OP.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

i knew it was close but not 100% I'm still a new piper myself, but was remembering what i read. was off a little. glad other brothers could correct my statement for the OP.

We're all here to learn because we enjoy it

 

[SeaGarr]

We're all here to learn because we enjoy it

Speaking of...

As I bust Google looking for a Meerschaum pipe, I note, I have no idea what size bowl to get! I am guessing that most of my smoking will be done in the car - ie shorter smokes (small town) so a larger pipe isn't really needed. But how small is too small?

Here is a nice small pipe that only costs $25USD but has a 1" deep bowl:

- http://www.royalmeerschaumpipes.com/Mini-Smooth-Meerschaum-Pipes-p/ms118bc.htm

Will a 1" deep bowl do me? How long a smoke can I get out of an inch? For $25.00, it's a no brainer if I can get 30 to 45 min out of it.



That said... I am really loving on the Meerschaum lined pipes. Here is one that costs 50 EUR - the 25% VAT - about $44USD (can that be right?) that has an about 1.5-1.6" deep bowl.

White Star - http://www.danishpipeshop.com/product.asp?product=873#.VOq3tLDF_pB


The smaller the pipe, the better for me. I just don't know if that 1" deep bowl would be enough?

*Edit*

At $169.00 - this is just lust for now, but...

yummm. If you are interested: http://www.meerschaumstore.com/Meerschaum_Classic_Pipes.asp?pg=22

 

[Cigary43]

Speaking of...

As I bust Google looking for a Meerschaum pipe, I note, I have no idea what size bowl to get! I am guessing that most of my smoking will be done in the car - ie shorter smokes (small town) so a larger pipe isn't really needed. But how small is too small?

Here is a nice small pipe that only costs $25USD but has a 1" deep bowl:

- http://www.royalmeerschaumpipes.com/Mini-Smooth-Meerschaum-Pipes-p/ms118bc.htm

Will a 1" deep bowl do me? How long a smoke can I get out of an inch? For $25.00, it's a no brainer if I can get 30 to 45 min out of it.



That said... I am really loving on the Meerschaum lined pipes. Here is one that costs 50 EUR - the 25% VAT - about $44USD (can that be right?) that has an about 1.5-1.6" deep bowl.

White Star - http://www.danishpipeshop.com/product.asp?product=873#.VOq3tLDF_pB


The smaller the pipe, the better for me. I just don't know if that 1" deep bowl would be enough?

*Edit*

At $169.00 - this is just lust for now, but...

yummm. If you are interested: http://www.meerschaumstore.com/Meerschaum_Classic_Pipes.asp?pg=22

If these pics don't give you a pipeboner then you need to check your pulse....those are some nice pipes.

 

[SeaGarr]

Update:

Well gents, I found my old pipe - woot. Better still, I have 4 tins of tobacco in my cart over at my "pushers." I am going to give this another go.

Like I said, I am going to take it slow. But I wanted to stress my gratitude. Thanks for all your help!!!


I'll try to update how it's coming along from time to time.